It’s “Clean Out Your Computer Day” today.  So stop what you are doing and reschedule your day!

Seriously, it’s a reminder of the importance of having a well run computer.  Computers, just like your home office, can become a mess.   Gunked up and slow hard drive will take forever to load. Give yourself a few hours this week to to have your computer decluttered and zipping along.   Same with your cell phones.

Here’s some suggestions:

#1 Defrag your hard drive.   See My Blog Post.

#2 Organize your files.  See My Blog Post.

#3 Remove unused programs.

#4 Organize your bookmarks.  See Mozilla’s Wiki Post.

#5 Archive Files but Save only documents or emails needed.  See My Blog Post.

You’ll be organized and ready for anything that comes at you.  And your computer will be much more pleasant to work with too!

I’m working night and day on the Holiday Helper for 2011.  In the meantime, my 2010 tutorials are still available to download and share with your customers.  If you want just the tutorials and not the newsletters,  they are available for immediate download. What’s included: 12 Holiday Helper 2010 Tutorials, BONUS#1: Wish List, BONUS#2: Holiday Card List, BONUS#3: Snowman Envelope Tutorial All for only $19.97.   More Details – http://debbiemcneill.com/store/?p=341

Each year, we go on a quest to find the perfect Christmas card to send. It might turn into a hunt throughout the store. Or, as with many stampers, it is the search that starts in the Stampin’ Up! Idea Book and Catalog in January and may last until December, for the perfect stamp and design for your handmade cards. Envelope cards may be your solution for the perfect design.   This tutorial is a FREE bonus when you purchase the Holiday Helper 2010 Tutorials.   Download them today for ideas and to share with your customers. http://debbiemcneill.com/store/?p=341

Getting ready for a fun BBQ and thought I would share some origami folds with you today.   You never know when you might need a pretty box made out of paper right?

Download Instructions Here = http://bit.ly/pzEVgO

My Stamping Studio needed a little color pop and nothing says ‘Color Pop‘ like our new Calypso Coral and Island Indigo In Colors.

Here’s what I did:

1. I used (4) Calypso Coral sheets from the 2011-2013 In Color Patterns Designer Series Paper Stacks (#122384).
2. I scored 1″ panels on each of the 4 Calypso Coral sheet, alternating sides so the score would be correct.  On one side: score odd dimensions 1″, 3″, 5″, 7″, 9″, 11″.  Alternate side score even: 2″, 4″, 6″, 8″, 10″.   If you want one side on the front, I recommend scoring that side with even numbers so the paper joins won’t show.
3. Cut each sheet into half with the pleats vertical.  Now you have 8-12″x6″ sheets of pleated paper.
4. Adhere each sheet together with Sticky Strip (#104294) after pleating each sheet.   You will end up with a big circle of pleated paper.
5. Cut (2) 6″ circles of Island Indigo Textured Card Stock using the Circle Scissor Plus (#112530)
6. Add Multipurpose Liquid Glue (#110755) to the very edge of the circle liberally.
7. Place and adhere your Calypso Coral circle on top of the 6″ circle.  It takes only a few minutes to dry.
8. Place and adhere the other side with a 6″ circle.
9. Done!

I attached my beautiful decoration to the wall using 3M Command Temporary Mini Hook under the circle in the back.  That’s how good our glue is.   The circle is 16″ wide. The cost to make this was about 1/2 hour of my time and not quite $3.50 of product.   It’s addicting I can tell you.   I want to make more in different colors now and line the whole wall with them.

PayPal’s shopping cart makes it easy for website owners to process payments for multiple products.

Other shopping carts like 1ShoppingCart, ZenCart and so on require a different payment processor on the back-end, usually with a merchant account tied to a gateway like Authorize.net. That makes the setup process cumbersome and time consuming, sometimes taking months if you don’t already have a merchant account and gateway setup.

PayPal on the other hand, integrates the shopping cart software automatically with its payment processing, so all you need to do is create the buy buttons for your products and you’re up and running.

With PayPal’s shopping cart system, users can add multiple products to their shopping cart and see their products, taxes, shipping and totals before checking out. They can add as many products as they want and just go through the payment process once, making it easy to sell multiple products at once.

Here’s how to add an Add to Cart button to your website.

Login to PayPal

Step 1: Click on Merchant Services Tab

Step 2: Click on Add to Cart Button

Step 3: Select Item Name and Price

Step 4: Customize Your Button

Step 5: Specify Shipping and Taxes

Step 6: Apply Advanced Options (Optional)

Step 7: Click Create Button and Upload Code

Download the Complete Tutorial

I have been bombarded by Stik.com wall posts. I find this application annoying because I would not recommend anyone unless I know them personally and if that is the case, contact me directly and I’m happy to oblige. I’m pretty picky, I don’t like any application posted from others on my wall.  However, I do love just regular wall posts from friends and family, so I don’t want to restrict my wall privacy settings. If you have any involvement with this application and would like to get rid of it, here is how:

1) Log-in to your Facebook Account.  Top right select ACCOUNT drop down list.

2) Select PRIVACY SETTINGS.

3) Bottom of the Privacy Settings page, select Apps and Websites >> EDIT YOUR SETTINGS.

4) Apps You Use >> EDIT SETTINGS.

5) If you see Stik.com, go to the right and select X to remove the application.  This will prevent you posting to friends and others Facebook Wall.

For me, I didn’t have it listed but have received several wall posts from friends. Since I’ve set my privacy settings for application notices to just me, it’s easy to ignore or delete them and my friends won’t be targeted.  But I still receive Wall Posts from friends and family which I’m happy to receive.

If you would like to do the same, here’s how:

1) If you have the application post in your wall settings, click on the X on the right-hand side of the post.

2) You will see a smaller window show up with several options, select BLOCK STIK.COM

That will remove Stik.com posts from showing up in the future.  Now to set your privacy settings so that you won’t have future issues with new applications.

1) Go back to the Privacy Setting Page:  ACCOUNT >> PRIVACY SETTINGS.

2) Game and app activity > Select EDIT SETTINGS drop down link on the right.

3) Select CUSTOM, Make this visible to ONLY ME.

Setting your Privacy Settings

Setting your Game and App Activity to Only Me

Hope that helps!  For more Facebook Tips, click on the category FACEBOOK to the right in the sidebar.

All the Best!

Laura Hollick posted a great tip today on her site that I just had to share. It’s all about the creative balance between doing and being. We are creative people and when we get out of balance we lose our love of crafting.  I know I’ve been there.  In fact, right now I’m not giving myself planned time to dream creatively and I can feel I’m out of balance.  I know I have a friend who has been so frustrated lately and after listening to Laura I think she maybe more in the BEING and less in the DOING.  She can’t find time for crafting but she reads blogs all the time about crafting projects that she would like to do. Does that sound familiar?   I can help you with that because I’m really good at the doing part! 

I’ll let her explain in detail in her video  at  http://www.soulartstudio.com/wordpress/2011/04/the-cure-for-the-starving-artist-syndrome.

This has been a nightmare to follow but I like how the author, Venuri Siriwardane has made this simple (or simpler) to understand. Please take the time to read through this to make sure you are in compliance. I’m afraid the days of ignorance being bliss is over.

Special thanks to gal pal Jessica Eaves Mathews, America’s Advocate for Women in Business, for sharing this on her Facebook Page.

To read the full article in Inc. Magazine online visit the site below:
http://www.inc.com/

Are you courageous enough to stand in the service of others? And let them know exactly how your services will better their lives?  This teleseminar which starts June 6th is all about booking yourself solid and we all want that.

Join 20 of the top speakers FOR FREE at this AMPLIFIED teleseminar.  My friend, Sue Painter – The Confident Marketer, is a featured speaker so I know this teleseminar attracts top notch speakers.  You are not going to want to miss her persentation – The Secret Behind Creating A “Who and Do What” Statement That Attracts Your Best Clients.

Don’t wait, register for this FREE seminar at: http://bookyourselfsolid.com/amplified/

If you make handmade products, such as cards and gifts, Etsy may be the ideal platform for you to sell your products.

Etsy is a website that connects sellers with buyers of artistic products. It has a very special sense of community and really strives to make the experience personable.

How can you sell your products on Etsy? Follow these steps list below or download my tutorial.

Step 1: Register an Account

If you don’t already have an Etsy account, the first step is to register. Follow the on-screen process to become a member.

Step 2: Click Sell

Click the “Sell” button to begin the process of registering yourself as a seller.

Step 3: Click “Sell on Etsy”

When you first click Sell, you’ll be taken to a page with basic information about becoming a seller on Etsy. To continue to registration process, click the “Sell on Etsy” button in the upper right.

Step 4: Fill Out Basic Information

Fill out the basic information Etsy needs from you.

Step 5: Credit Card Information

Enter your credit card information. Etsy needs this to ensure that your card works for paying listing fees.

Once you press enter, Etsy will charge you a $1.01 activation charge. If the charge goes through, Etsy knows your card works.

Step 6: Start the Listing Process

Once your card is validated, you’ll see the confirmation page.  Click on “List an item now” to continue.

Step 7: Select Your Payment Methods

Before you create your listing, you need to first select what payment options you can accept. Most buyers will choose to pay by PayPal. If you don’t already have a PayPal account, it really pays to open one. If you choose to accept personal checks and money orders, you’ll also need to enter your shipping address.

Once you’ve selected your payment method, click on “list your first item” to continue.

Step 8: Enter Description

Choose a snazzy title to catch your customer’s attention. Enter a detailed description of your item. Don’t assume that the pictures speak for themselves. Yes, pictures go a long way, but it helps to assume you have no pictures with your listing when writing your description. Detail is the key.

Finally, list out the materials used to make your product. Yes, this actually matters, as users do search by materials.

Step 9: Choose Categories and Tags

Select your categories. First select the top level, then the sub-level then the sub-sub-level. Then, enter tags that describe your item. Choose descriptive tags to help others find your items. Use all 14 tags to maximize exposure.

Step 10: Choose Pricing and Shipping

Enter the price for your product.  Enter the shop section you want your item listed in. In the beginning, you’ll have to create new sections for each different kind of item.

Finally, you’ll need to set your shipping prices. You can set different prices for different regions and countries.

Step 11: Add Images

Click “Choose File” to upload images from your computer. Click upload to upload.

Step 12: Review and Finish

Review all the details of your listings. If everything is in order, click “Finish” to list your item.

Those are the basics of selling on Etsy. You now know how to register as a seller, verify your billing address, setup payment methods and list an item. Just rinse and repeat the listing process for every item you want to sell.

There’s a lot that goes into becoming a successful Etsy seller. You need to setup a killer store, create high quality, unique products, list them properly and constantly monitor a number of things to make sure your sales continue to increase.  So I’ve included an Etsy Selling Checklist in my tutorial.

DOWNLOAD THE TUTORIAL NOW

All the Best!

Debbie

I just figured out how to get a YouTube RSS feed.

For example:

http://www.youtube.com/stampinupvideo

turns into this

http://www.youtube.com/rss/user/stampinupvideo/videos.rss.

I plan on using this feed to automatically update Facebook using either Sendible or RSS Graffiti.

Enjoy!

p.s. Want to learn more about RSS Feeds?   Here’s a few links you might find helpful

Import Blog Feed to Facebook

RSS: How to Find Your Blog’s Feed

RSS In Plain English by CommonCraft.com

This is one of the best explanations I have seen on Trademarks.  Something we should all know about. Thanks to Kiyla Fenell of UltimateBizSystems.com

There was a lot of hubbub after Leadership about Facebook Profiles vs Facebook Pages. Basically, Facebook profiles are a place where you interact with your friends and Facebook Pages is where you would communicate about your Stampin’ Up! business.

Stampin’ Up! has since added a Q&A section on the demo web site which I highly recommend that you read.  I think they did a wonderful job at highlighting and answering a few questions that we all ask about how to promote our Stampin’ Up! business.  Go now…log-in to the Stampin’ Up! demonstrator website and find the page here –>Home > Training > Social Media Training > Facebook Q&A.

Now let’s say you are ready to create a Facebook Page.  Here are some instructions to do just that.  If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment below.

STEP 1: PAGE SETUP
1.    Click “Create a Page” in the lower right corner of the home page or click here to get started. http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
2.    Select the type of page you want to create. For this demonstration, we’re creating a Brand or Product Page for a business.
3.    Choose what the page is for (Product/Service). You can narrow the focus using the drop-down that appears after you make the first selection.
4.    Name your page using keywords related to your business.  I used stamping & singing
5.    Read and agree to the terms. If you don’t agree, obviously, you cannot create a page.
6.    Click Get Started when you’re finished.

STEP 2: MANAGING PERMISSION
This is where you can set any restrictions for location, age, whether you want to publish your page or leave it unpublished until you have finished it. You can edit your Wall settings, add applications, etc. I’m not going to go through these.

HINT: You might want to set the Page Visibility check mark on until you are ready to publish. Be sure to click Save Changes for each section before moving on. You can always click View Page to return to the page.

Once you’ve finished with the settings, it’s time to move on to the other settings listed on the left sidebar. I’ve listed the setting pages that you will find most helpful below.

STEP 3: CUSTOMIZE YOUR PAGE
Customizing your page is just like customizing your profile page. You’ll want to upload an image that represents your company (preferable a picture of you or your branding), and add a summary as a way to introduce your offerings to prospective customers. Add more than just you sell stamps.  What are you known for or especially good at?  Scrapbooking, large clubs, personal service or business builder.

Select Basic Information to add specifics such as websites, contacts, addresses and phone numbers. Here is where you would add your DBWS page. Select Profile Picture to upload your picture.  Select Your Settings to update your email and posting settings.

Once that is done you can return to your page by selecting View Page on the top right.

STEP 4: INVITE FRIENDS VIEW YOUR PAGE
To invite people to view your page; click the “Suggest To Friends” button under your profile picture. Select from your friends list those you would like to invite to your page. Add a personal message, don’t leave this part off. Click Send Invitation. If you are comfortable doing so, ask your friends to recommend your page to their friends. If you’re not comfortable doing this, that’s ok. Your following will naturally grow as people see that their friends have joined your page. They will visit out of curiosity and many will join.

DONE!  Once you have setup your Facebook Page, add your page address to my wall so I can ‘LIKE” you.  Don’t forget to “like me” on my Facebook Page for more ideas on how to use Facebook for your business at http://facebook.com/CraftyPerson.

Have questions for me about Facebook?  Leave me a comment below and I will answer them as soon as I can.

Most virtual assistants perform all sorts of tasks.  They can handle correspondence, do web design, write blog posts, take care of scheduling, and much more.  Each VA brings her own unique set of skills to the table, but she is almost always multitalented.

It took me FOREVER to finally hire a VA.  I’m so happy I made that leap.  I learned a lot along the way too so here are some ideas when you are looking to hire a VA.

==> Ask for Referrals: Talk to other online business owners to see who they use. Finding someone who others enjoy working with is always one of the best ways to find help for your business.  Use your mastermind connections.  That’s one of the best benefits of being part of a mastermind group as I am with the Millionaire Protégé Club^®.   Look for something in your neighborhood.

==>  Certification Isn’t Necessary: Although certified VAs may disagree, I feel certification is not necessarily an indicator of an exemplary service provider. I’ve used both and can’t say one is better than the other. Just a note that the lack of certification is not necessarily an indicator of poor service.

==>  What Types of Tasks Do They Do?: A willing VA can be trained to perform tasks in the way you specify, but do look for virtual assistants with experience working with online business owners and who has some understanding of their needs.  Having experience with stamping, and crafts is not necessary.  We teach people to do that all the time.  Look for expertise in areas you don’t know or not comfortable with.

==>  What Are Their Rates?: Rates vary with virtual assistants. Some may charge per project, while others may charge per hour. As with any job, the pay rate for a virtual assistant can vary greatly.  In general, a VA can expect to earn between $10 and $15 per hour when they are starting out.   After they have gained experience and have established a good reputation they can charge more.  If you plan on working with a VA on an ongoing basis (as you should), an hourly agreement simplifies the process. Ask if there are any discounts available if you keep your VA on retainer.

==>  Test Them Out Before Agreeing to a Retainer: Ideally, you do want to work with a VA on an ongoing basis, but be sure you are a good fit before doing so. Give him/her a few projects and make sure he/she responds in a timely manner, takes direction well, clarifies any details that need clarifying and complete projects on time.

==>  Software They Use: Find out what software they have available and are able to use. Again, people can be trained, if they are willing. You want to make sure you use the same software.  The last thing you want is to have your VA gone and all the files created in a software you are not familiar with. You can also purchase software for your assistants. You may find this more cost effective than paying a new assistant a higher rate to use the same software.

==>  A Virtual Assistant in Business vs. a Freelancer: When looking for a VA, this can become a tricky thing. Generally speaking, a virtual assistant who is solely in the business of being a virtual assistant, should be able to provide dedicated service to your business. On the other hand, I’ve learned from other (Kiyla Fenell) had good experience hiring individuals who were simply looking for steady administrative work from home. The latter also often charge less and are more susceptible to training to your company standards.

Here’s something to be aware of: VAs who do VA work on the side while trying to build another type of business of their own. That is where you run into trouble with consistency, meeting deadlines, etc. You want to find a VA that is committed to providing support to your business, not someone who is trying to pay the bills in the meantime.

==>  Check References: Because your virtual assistant will have access to so much personal and business information, it’s important to check on any references provided. You should also search on Google for any reviews of their service.

This can be a great way for someone to start working from home.  More and more people are starting websites and need people to help them handle their business affairs.

This video will show you how to create a watermark using MS Paint, a free program that comes with Microsoft Operating Systems on PCs. I will first show you how to create a watermark and then how to apply it in MS Paint.

I apologize, there is no audio portion of this video. I have it on my list to re-record.

My friend, Heather Wright-Porto (www.BlogsByHeather.com) released a new PDF tutorial on inserting an image link. 

If you’ve wanted to know….

• How to insert your picture into your sidebar and have it link to a page you’ve created.
• How to place a picture of your upcoming class and link it the corresponding post.
• How to place an image of a card kit or tutorial you are selling, and link it to a post or page you’ve created with the details then this tutorial is for you!

Click to download Heather’s FREE tutorial which Includes instructions for Blogger, Typepad and WordPress.

One of my demonstrator friends ask me how to convert the PDF documents that we receive from Stampin’ Up! into a format that can be uploaded to their blog.  I use Adobe PhotoShop CS4 which is really expensive.  However, I did a quick google search using this term “convert pdf to jpg” and I found several options which I put below.  I can’t vouch for these, as I didn’t try them but here they are just the same.

http://www.pdf-to-jpg.com/

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-convert-a-pdf-file-to-word-excel-or-jpg-format/

PLEASE NOTE, if you are a Stamping Updates Newsletter (SUN) member, you probably already have the files available to you in the Membership Site.  In this particular situation, we were talking about the Filled with Love Promotion.  I don’t recommend adding the whole flyer graphics to your blog as it would slow it down and then why would you customers go to your DBWS promotional page?  Once at the promotional page, the store is just a hop, skip and jump away.  The closer you get someone to your cash register (DBWS Store Page) the better in my humble opinion.

Having said all that (LOL), here are some graphics you can use:

Author: Heidi Alexandra Pollard

Good leaders are great communicators who build trust consistently over time. A leader with poor leadership communication will find leading far more challenging than a great communicator. Respect and confidence on the part of staff, executive teams, members or a board will be much harder to earn.

But even good leaders can blow it with one stupid comment, a slip of the tongue or a poor performance in a media interview.

The following common communication mistakes damage leaders trust accounts quicker than you can say pickle relish. Reflect on when you may have been guilty of these communication sins:

1. Meaning what you say – this is probably the worst communication error that you can make as a leader. Authenticity is a key to long term leadership success and if you go all polyester with people they will read through it in a flash. Reading a script that you, or someone else prepared, without thinking about what you are saying is a sure fire blooper. Reading in the script that you have been reflecting on a certain topic or issue without pausing to reflect while describing the scenario, or share a personal anecdote about what it brought up for you, could kill your credibility. Staying in the moment – being truly present – and thinking about what you are saying is critical to maintaining credibility and the attention of your audience. People can tell when you are reading and they can certainly tell when a presentation is mindless and not heartfelt.

2. Underestimating your audience – never assume you know more than your audience or understand their individual situation. Making sweeping statements such as “I know exactly how you feel”, or “what you need to understand is…,” or “it was outside our control,” can alienate people and make them feel as though you are talking down to them. Most audiences will hear this as you not listening, or not really understanding their situation. The same response often follows statements like “This is just what you need.” Even if the statement is true it probably won’t works in today’s society of sceptics. You can let yourself down in an instant if you fail to take your audience seriously.

3. Using waffle words – using empty nothingness words that lack specificity whether it be the details, direction or meaning, can be a sure path to disaster. This common mistake can make you appear to either not know your content, be all hot air and no substance or worse to appear like many people say politicians do, dodging the real issues using smoke and mirrors and saying a whole lot of nothing. When leaders fail to communicate with specificity, and use waffle words, people can feel left in the dark or like they are being set up to fail. This can cause uncertainty, distrust and resentment. Communicating clearly, in plain, unambiguous language with specificity will build trust and provide people all the information they need to be successful.

4. Wooden delivery - body language communicates vast amounts of meaning, more than the actual words you are speaking. As a leader you must be conscious at all times of the signals you are broadcasting. There is nothing more damaging than you sending out body signals that are at odds with the message you wish to communicate or that convey nothing at all. Since people will make our decisions primarily on what they see rather than what they hear it is critical that you understand the meanings of your postures, gestures and facial expressions. Taking the time to master leadership communication skills such as direct eye contact will go a long way to establishing credibility, connection and building rapport.

5. Lack of connection on an emotional level - thinking that professional means impersonal is a mistake leaders often make. People form opinions and make decisions based on their emotions first before they rationalise them intellectually, an inability to relate can potentially damage your reputation and business. Being real about how you feel personally about something however will allow people to connect with you on a deeper level. Communication played a key role in the success of the President Barack Obama. Described as the ‘Communicator in Chief’, he connected with and inspired millions of Americans during his Presidential campaign. His performance as an orator and use of body language and conversational natural communication style enabled him to connect deeply with people.

6. Care factor zero – another big trust buster leader’s use is inadvertently demonstrating a care factor of zero. A recent bank campaign ran the insensitive theme “We live in your world,” during a time when many people were struggling with growing home mortgages, small business loans and credit cards. Similarly in a communiqué to frequent flyer members of an Aussie airline, announcing the reintroduction of flights after they had been grounded following an engine explosion, the CEO used primarily self focused language all about “I” and “us” (the company) and nothing about “you” the reader. Review many corporate websites with two coloured highlighter pens, one colour for language about the company, one for language about the reader, and see where the emphasis and focus wrongly lies.

When you look back on your conversations and communication style what kind of impression have you been leaving? If you are not thoughtful about your conversations and communication you could be getting yourself tongue tied and twisted and end up wreaking havoc on your leadership reputation.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/tongue-tied-and-twisted-common-communication-mistakes-leaders-make-3776362.html

About the Author

Do you have the self-assured confidence and communication understanding that achieves outstanding leadership results? As a leader, is it important for you to be able to transform information into knowledge and motivate your people into action? As a leadership and communication coach and trainer, Heidi specializes in helping leaders, presenters and entrepreneurs reach the top of their game and become stronger communicators known for achieving results. Interested in learning more? Contact Leading Value at admin@leadingvalue.net or visit us at www.leadingvalue.net

Did you know that most of our Class in a Flash pictures are created specifically to be uploaded to your DBWS gallery? We spend a great amount of time on our end to make sure our content is easy for you to import into your gallery.  FIND OUT HOW – http://bit.ly/i0n1ry

Business Brilliance University™, the only One-Stop-Shop for getting your business foundation set up easily and affordably.  I know many of these speakers personally and they are top-notch.  Sign-up to receive some valuable information for FREE.  http://bit.ly/ch7Zfz

Every new monthly Class in a Flash planner has a card template document for you to share with your customers. This is the My Digital Studio card the we made for this month’s Holiday Punch Stamp-a-Stack Class Planner.  The Card Template is a great inspiration tool for you and your customers. Use them for your own planning or include as a class bonus.

There is a trick to creating a ribbon that does not go all the way across the card.  Making the ribbon look right is always an adventure when you don’t want it to go all the way across the card. So I opted for plain card stock for the Pear Pizazz layer so that I could create a box in Pear Pizazz to cover the ribbon. Same with the card base. I then moved the Soft Suede strip to the top and the ribbon is hidden even though it is really going all the way across the card.

Learn how to fall back in love with your business while boosting income and reclaiming freedom with millionaire entrepreneur Star Ladin, publisher of my favorite magazine – Star Lee Magazine. Star is hosting a FREE call THIS THURSDAY, September 9, at 1pm PST / 4pm EST..

Listen in Free to Learn Star Ladin’s Simple 5 Step Formula For Getting You Back in Alignment.

Build Your Brand for Success – http://www.buildyourbrandforsuccess.com/

Newsletters are an excellent communication tool for any business owner, but especially for a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. They help communicate your image, connect with customers and prospects on a different level, provide value to readers, and communicate any promotions and product offerings – keeping customers up to date. My mentor, Ali Brown, once said

“It’s not your customers responsibility to keep up with your business”.

And that is so true.
Here’s how to create a newsletter to build your business:

Step 1. Decide frequency. How often do you want to publish your newsletter? Remember each issue involves a few hours of preparation including creating the content. Establish a schedule you know you can keep up with. It is always easier to add supplemental issues or increase the frequency however decreasing the frequency can give a poor impression. Monthly, quarterly, weekly are all options. I offer a weekly and monthly newsletter to my customers. The monthly newsletter is the DBWS newsletter, but most of my subscribers select the weekly newsletter as that one has more content. I found that my open and click-thru rates increased when I went to a consistent weekly schedule.

Step 2. Email/print? How are you going to distribute your newsletter? There are benefits to both. Email is very cost effective and instantaneous. Print is nice because it gives something tangible for customers to hold onto.

Step 3. Email Publishing Services. If you’re going to email your newsletter, consider paying for an email publishing service. There are many available online. You can find my recommendations here. They offer newsletter templates, enable you to design the newsletter yourself, and manage the list subscriptions, unsubscribes, track your opens and click-thrus and enable you to create many newsletters at once and schedule them in advance. The price for services vary however many base their prices on the number of subscribers. See I Recommend links for my favorites.

Step 4. Sign-up Box. If offering an email newsletter, don’t forget to add a signup form on your website. This not only increases traffic and visitor value, it helps build a list of contacts and customers.

Step 5. Advertise. Let people know about your newsletter. Include a link to your subscription form in all email communications, signatures, and even consider adding it to your business card, brochure, and other marketing materials.

Step 6. What is it About? What is your newsletter going to be about? Now it’s time to get down to business. What are you going to include in your newsletter? Some newsletters have a single article and a promotion. Some newsletters have just one sample, once a week. Others have 3-5 articles and an equal amount of promotional content. My rule of thumb is to have a newsletter contain 80% informational content and 20% promotional content on average. Think about what are your articles are going to be about? Will you write them or will you hire a writer? Consider what types of content will add value to your readers. What questions or problems do they have? For instance, my SUN membership includes a Q&A article once a month that can be posted to your blog as well. Take a look at newsletters you like and consider why you like them. I have a few samples on my website.

Step 7. Graphics. Graphics are an excellent way to make a newsletter visually interesting. Options include adding a logo or a header from My Digital Studio to each newsletter as well as including card samples, graphics, and even personal photos within the newsletter. Your DBWS is a great source of photos if you don’t have time to include your own. Class in a Flash membership offers several photos.

Newsletters are an excellent tool to both market to and connect with your customers and prospects on a regular basis. The key to a newsletter that works is to first focus on providing quality content on a regular basis. I would appreciate the opportunity to help you get your newsletter started. Feel free to ask questions or review my newsletter service that can be found at http://newsletters.craftyperson.com.

Have questions? Feel free to leave me a comment below.

My favorite Photography Instructor, Erin Manning, is having an online digital photography class for beginners! You won’t want to miss this! Great for learning how to take good photographs of your cards and artwork.

You can find out all the details including a sample video at

http://www.reneepearson.com/classes/digiphoto101.php

Hope to see you there!
Debbie

Look at all the things you can do with the Two-Step Owl Punch (#118074). This punch is going to quickly fly to the top of your wish list. In one quick move, our Two-Step Owl punch cuts out all of the pieces you need to build an owl. It couldn’t be easier to create a great accent or focal point: just punch and then layer the pieces.

Earlier this year, Stampin’ Up! released an updated punch design. This new design takes up less room, now has labels on top of the punch as well as on the end, can be locked shut for easier storage and for safety from little fingers. These time-saving features make these punches a must-have whether you need a circle punch or you go batty for bats.

The Owl Punch is available in a punch but also in a digital format as well. Find out more at my store => http://store.debbiestamper.biz

I have one-to-one phone calls scheduled with my Stamping Update Newsletters (SUN) members. During this call a member recently asked me how to import her blog feeds to her new Facebook.  I thought that was a great idea.  So here is this week’s how to, compliments of Cynthia.

You want to leverage all the work you have been posting to your blog.  Great idea!  Let’s automatically load all your blog posts to Facebook.  Below, I have tried to do my best to give you as much detail as you need, however, you will need to experiment setting up your feeds.  As each of these options offer a different advantage over the other.  Which one you choose will depend on your circumstances.  We begin with the easiest method but it is also the least flexible.

1)    Using Facebook – This option will feed your blog into your Facebook Notes.

2)    Using HootSuite – I use this application to add content to my twitter and Facebook accounts.  It was convenient for me to keep the RSS feed in the same place.  Plus I like how the content is added as a Facebook Link instead of a Facebook Note.  But not everyone will want to setup HootSuite.  Although I highly recommend it and…it’s free.

3)    Using Networked Blog – Unless you already used Networked Blogs, this is the most complicated by far.  Once you get your blog setup in Networked Blogs, you have a lot more options on sharing your blogs content.  In the long run, this is probably the best bet but set some time aside to do this.

To follow these instructions you will need to understand how RSS feeds work.  For more details on RSS feeds, please see my blog posts: RSS For Beginners and How it Can Work For You and RSS: How to Find Your Blog’s Feed.

Using Facebook Method

Facebook allows you to quickly and easily import an external blog from another website.

1. Step 1: Go to the main Notes application page by finding the “Notes” tab at the top
2. Step 2: Select link on left side: Edit import settings or click here.
3. Step 3: Enter the URL (web address) of your blog into the text box, and check the box underneath that states that you agree to our Terms of Use.
4. Step 4: To complete the process, click on “Save Settings.” Once you do this, your previous posts will appear as notes and any new posts you make will automatically display.

As an example, I import the DBWS promotions into my Facebook Notes.

If you run into any problems visit the Facebook Help page for Importing Notes.

I’ve included the instructions for using HootSuite and NetworkedBlogs in a document that you can download and print.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

The Demonstrator Business Web Site (DBWS) is a must-have tool for any demonstrator, if for no other reason than the online ordering. But Stampin’ Up! continues to keep adding value and business support through the features of the DBWS — and all for the same great price! I want to highlight one of those new features today – E-Cards Importing HTML.

Totally customizable E-cards, sound great huh?  But what really got me excited is when I heard you can import HTML newsletters. I have done some quick testing to see if you can import my newsletters into your DBWS so you can connect with your customers consistently without spending days creating your own.  And…the answer so far is YES. But, always on the caution side, I want to have more testing done and this is where I need your help. In return, I have a free gift for you.

Please test importing my Free Trial Holiday Helper Newsletter into your DBWS e-card.  I have the instructions below. Once you’ve imported the trial newsletter, send me a copy and I’ll send you a free sample of my latest Catalog Helper to send to your customers.

Here’s the instructions:

==> Log-in to your DBWS site.

==> Select E-card Manager.

==> Select E-card Editor.

==> Give a Name to your E-card – “Holiday Helper Sample”.

==> Describe your card.

==> Select ‘Paste HTML Code” button.

==> Open Holiday Helper Free Trial Sample.

==> Retrieve and copy all HTML. Instructions are here.

==> In DBWS E-card Manager, select where you see Please paste your HTML here.

==> Select Preview button.

==> Close HTML Preview screen by selecting the “X” on the top right side.

==> If everything looks good, select Save & Send button.

Here’s the video:

DBWS E-Card Video

==> Send an email to yourself and one to me at service@craftyperson.com.

I use these boxes all the time at showers for decorations, games and take home gifts. I’ve also used them for small baby gifts such as a rolled up pair of socks or shoes. You can make these boxes in all different sizes as well since this is a basic box pattern. When making larger Onesie Boxes, just use the scissor…s to …cut the sleeves instead of using the Slit Punch. Yea, yea, I know the Slit Punch is retired, but it is not leaving my office. No way, no how! I love the Slit Punch! You can download the tutorial.